Pink Parasols
by RiskaSG
Summary: I'm Marta, and I'm going to be seven on Tuesday, and I'd like a pink parasol


I always asked myself what had happened at Marta's birthday. Did she get her Pink Parasol? Well here's the (short) answer and sorry for the Grammar *Blush* I just wrote it down and was somehow too lazy to check it again.  
  
Please review :-)  
  
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Pink Parasols  
  
Maria sighed. She had been at the von Trapp Villa for almost one week now and couldn't help feeling sorry for the children. Especially the younger ones had spent their whole life without much joy. There was no music or laughter to bring light into their lives.  
  
Baron von Trapp didn't seem to notice his children with the loving and understanding eyes of a father, but with the obstinately and critical eyes of a Captain. That's no way to raise children, Maria murmured. She knew it wasn't, as her childhood hadn't been much better. But at least she always had been allowed to do what she wanted to. The von Trapp children lived in a golden cage.  
  
She looked down at the material in her hands and couldn't help smiling. Just you wait, Captain von Trapp, she thought and took a look at the huge clock in the sewing room. It was almost midnight, but she had to finish the clothes till tomorrow. It would be Marta's 7th birthday and therefore it should become a special day. But how could he go to Vienna? At the birthday of his daughter? Maria shook her head.  
  
Frau Schmidt had told her, the Captain's present for Marta would be a book about manners. Manners, god, she's a child! Children need games, toys, pink parasols. Maria put the material away and got up. Pink Parasols. Marta had told her she wanted to have one for her birthday. But how to get a pink parasol in the middle of the night? Besides Maria never could have afforded one. She started wandering up and down in the small room. How to get a pink parasol? The thoughts were running through her head, as she tried to find a way to organize a parasol for Marta. Suddenly her view felt at some pink ribbons. Maybe she could.....Maria grinned. You'll get your pink parasol, Marta, well - at least something pink that looks like a parasol.  
  
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Marta opened her eyes and needed a few seconds to realize it was her birthday.  
  
"Gretl, Gretl, get up! It's my birthday, get up!" Marta jumped up and down, while her little sister yawned dozy and turned around. "Oh Gretl, get up! It's my birthday! Do you think father bought me a pink parasol? That would be so wonderful!"  
  
Marta left their sleeping room and ran down the stairs. Everybody in the house seemed to be asleep, although it was her birthday. Maybe she should wake them up?  
  
But first she would go to the dining-room. Usually at birthdays the table would already be set with the good china, flowers would stand there and a huge gateau with candles on it - As well as the presents. Marta couldn't help giggling as she opened the door to the dining-room.  
  
As she had expected it, the table was already set, there were flowers, a gateau and presents. But somehow she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed as she saw the letter at her place. She had forgotten her father wouldn't be home for her birthday, but in Vienna. Marta went to the table and opened the blue envelope.  
  
"Dear Marta, Happy Birthday, Your father" That was all the certainly beautiful card said. Marta put it away and looked at the present next to her. Obviously there couldn't be a pink parasol in it. Carefully she opened the present and looked at the book in her hands: Adolph Freiherr von Knigge "Über den Umgang mit Menschen".  
  
Marta swallowed down her tears. A book about manners. Had she been behaving so badly during the last year? That would be a reason why her father had preferred it to stay in Vienna at her birthday. Sadly she opened the book. Maybe, if she would do all the things this Knigge was saying, her father would like her better.  
  
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Maria opened her eyes and realized she was still in the sewing room. I must have fallen asleep, she thought. Proudly she looked at the finished play clothes and her version of a pink parasol. But with dismay she realized it was almost 8 o'clock. The children must be awake already, at least Marta, it's her birthday.  
  
Maria ran down the stairs. The house was still silent - next to the almost not audible sound of crying.  
  
Maria followed the sound and found Marta sitting at the table in the dining- room. The little girl hold a book in her hand, trying to read it, but Maria was sure she couldn't see a word through the tears in her eyes. She swallowed and thought with anger of the Captain. Here was his little daughter, crying at her birthday, and he was amusing his self in Vienna.  
  
Maria walked towards Marta and laid her arms around her.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Dear." She whispered into her ear.  
  
"It's not happy at all." Marta answered, laying down the book and burying herself in Maria's embrace.  
  
"Oh, shshsh Darling, I promise you, it'll be a wonderful day."  
  
Confidently Marta looked at Maria "Do you really think so?"  
  
"Oh yes." Maria smiled "And now, won't you stop crying? It's your birthday, you should smile!"  
  
"Yes, No, I mean - It's just.." Marta looked at the card and then back to Maria. "Will it really be a wonderful day?"  
  
"Oh yes, of course! A day you'll never forget. I've got something very special prepared."  
  
"You did?" Marta finally smiled.  
  
"Yes. Do you want to see it?"  
  
"Of course!" Marta couldn't help feeling much better, as Maria lifted her up, humming Happy Birthday to her. Maybe her birthday wouldn't be that worse at all.  
  
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When the others got up, they found Maria and Marta sitting in the salon. Marta was wearing a new dress and hold a pink parasol in her hand.  
  
"Oh, it's so great. We're going to have a picnic today. And there's a present for every one of you, too!" she shouted.  
  
Her siblings looked at each other. They had expected Marta would be sad, caused by the absence of their father, but she didn't seem to mind at all.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Marta" Liesl said and hugged her little sister. The others followed her example and wished Marta a wonderful birthday.  
  
"Oh, we're going to have a wonderful day" Marta said. "But won't you unpack your presents?"  
  
"We're really going to have a present, too?" Gretl asked unbelievingly.  
  
"Yes, so why don't you just open them?" Maria smiled. She was glad Marta seemed to be happy again. And the Captain - she had decided to tell him what she was thinking of his educational methods as soon he was back.  
  
Gretl was the first who unpacked her present. "A new dress! Oh, thank you! It's so pretty!"  
  
"Did you make them yourself, Maria?" Liesl looked at the beautiful Dirndl she was holding in her hand.  
  
"Yes" Maria nodded "I thought it's time for you to get some play clothes."  
  
"Oh, I love them!" Louisa shouted excitedly.  
  
"I suggest you put them on now, so we can go for our outing, alright?"  
  
The children nodded exited and went upstairs to change their clothes, only Liesl didn't follow them. She looked astonished at Maria. Of course, since the night of the thunderstorm she had changed her opinion of governesses as fire-breathing dragons. But now she realized Maria wasn't just nice because it was her job, she really seemed to care for them.  
  
"Maria?"  
  
"Yes Liesl?"  
  
"Those clothes - somehow they seem to be very familiar to me." Liesl smiled.  
  
"Oh, do they?" Maria grinned "Mmhh, now that you mention it - I used to have some drapes in my room, which had exactly the same pattern."  
  
"And this Parasol, well - "  
  
"- looks like an old, embellished umbrella to you?" Maria finished her sentence.  
  
"A very pink umbrella, yes." Liesl laughed. "Thank you Maria. I think Marta couldn't have a more beautiful birthday."  
  
"Oh, it'll even get better, believe me" Maria said with a wink in her eyes.  
  
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Carrying her guitar case, Maria opened the villa's front gate and waved the children out. They emerged one by one, wearing their new clothes made from the green, flowered drapes; carrying toys and picnic baskets. Grinning, Maria closed the gate and ran after them........  
  
FIN.  
  
Note: "Über den Umgang mit Menschen" by Adolph Freiherr von Knigge is something like the bible for all supporters of good manners 


End file.
